Epilogue
Cedar
Two months later
I hauled the last of the boxes in from my truck, setting them down in the entryway. “That’s it. All of your stuff is now officially here.” I rubbed my hands together before pulling my beautiful girl in for a hug.
“I can’t believe I’m no longer a city girl.”
“You’re a small-town wife now.”
“Did you just say wife?” Aurora looked up at me, her gorgeous eyes sparkling with so much love.
“I did. That’s what you’ll be soon.”
“I need a ring first, mister.”
“Don’t worry, baby. It’s coming.”
Aurora and I unpacked the rest of her things, the children coming in to help, though they really just made more of a mess of scattering items. But Aurora didn’t mind. She never did when it came to them, her patience that of a saint.
Valentine’s Day was this upcoming weekend, and I planned on proposing to Aurora then. I had a special night planned, and the children were part of it. I could tell they were bursting at the seams to reveal the secret, but so far, they were doing a great job.
Later that night, while tucking the kids into bed, Auggie asked, “Daddy, is Aurora our new mommy?”
“She can be your mommy if you’d like. It’s whatever you’re comfortable with, bud. If not, that’s okay too. Aurora isn’t here to replace anyone. She’s only here to add to the family.”
“Okay. Uncle Timmy told me he’s never seen you so happy before with a girlfriend.”
“He did, hmm? Well, that was nice of him because it’s true. Aurora makes me very happy. But what’s most important is you and your sister’s happiness.”
“Well, I’m happy and I know La is, too. She told me!” Auggie said as he snuggled under his covers.
I kissed the top of his head and tucked his comforter under his chin. “Good. Now don’t let the bedbugs bite!”
Come Saturday, we celebrated Valentine’s Day together as a family with heart pancakes and gifts for the kids. We did crafts together, watched a movie, and when the late afternoon rolled around, the kids and I took Aurora out to dinner, a delicious Italian spot a few towns over.
And when we got home, the three of us gave her a heart shaped box. The empty box was merely a decoy.
While the kids distracted her with opening the box, I got behind her and went down on one knee.
Just as she opened the box, the kids turned her around and there I was, on bended knee, holding a diamond ring out.
Aurora screamed and her hands flew to her face, the box falling from her hands. “Oh, my God!”
“Will you make me and my children so happy and become my wife, Aurora? I love you so, so much.”
“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”
Jumping to my feet, I slipped the ring on her left finger and lifted her into my arms, spinning her around. Auggie and Lola danced and cheered, jumping up and down as we all celebrated a joyous moment together.
I kissed her soft lips, tears slipping down her cheeks as I tried to blink mine away. Unsuccessfully.
I scooped Auggie into my arms while Aurora picked up Lola and the four of us hugged and danced.
Four months later, in the warm weather of June, we were married in the backyard of our cabin, surrounded by our family and friends.
Auggie was our best man and Lola, our flower girl.
We took a family trip to Disney world for our honeymoon, though I insisted we could leave the kids behind and go somewhere tropical, but Aurora wouldn’t hear of it.
Still, I promised Aurora I’d take her somewhere soon, only the two of us.
When Christmas rolled around, it was my wife’s first time getting her own gingerbread house to bake, build, and decorate.
And come to find out, she blew us all away with her perfect gingerbread cottage, complete with candy-stained glass windows and freshly fallen snow made of coconut shavings.
Like I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her, she was my forever.
It was time to grow our family.
THE END